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Oklahoma State football: Reports say defensive coordinator Bill Young will not return next season

Co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Glenn Spencer will likely be promoted to Young's old post.

By Gina Mizell •
Published: January 9, 2013

STILLWATER — Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Bill Young will not return next season, according to multiple reports.

Pete Roussel of CoachingSearch.com first reported Wednesday night that Young would not be back with the Cowboys and that co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Glenn Spencer would likely be promoted to Young's old post. KFOR's Bob Barry Jr. reported on his Wednesday night sportscast that Young had been dismissed.

Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Bill Young's job gets tougher starting this week as the Cowboys start a stretch of games against the top offenses in the Big 12. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman. BRYAN TERRY

OSU officials could not confirm Young's departure late Wednesday, citing that coaches have been in Nashville for their annual convention this week.

Young's future has been a popular topic during the offseason. The 44-year coaching veteran directed an inconsistent defense in 2012, one that especially struggled in back-to-back losses at Oklahoma and Baylor to end the regular season. In those games, the Cowboys gave up 51 and 41 points and 618 and 615 yards, respectively.

Health has also been a recent concern for Young. He missed the first two games of the 2012 season after undergoing a medical procedure to remove an aneurysm in between his eyes.

“I don't know, I don't know,” Young said about his future following a bowl practice in mid-December, adding that the 2012 season has been his toughest of his four as defensive coordinator. “I'm going to think about it.”

After the Cowboys' dominating 58-14 victory over Purdue, however, Young's tone had changed.

“Shoot, I'm going to coach until someone tells me I can't,” Young said then.

OSU coach Mike Gundy said following the bowl that he hadn't yet discussed Young's future, but that he planned to have Young back if that's what he wants.